1st time betta Fish owner

Yea I have some stripped water left from the LFS but I think I'll wait till I get the kit and prime at the same time. He seems to be happy for now and comes up to me when I get near the tank and follows my finger when I'm there. I think I'll try to pellets out this weekend too

Although not all conditioners bind ammonia and nitrites like prime, you MUST use some kind of conditioner if you do water changes with tap water- chlorine and chloramines kill fish and chloramines cannot be off- gassed by letting the water sit.
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Also I can't tell if he's been nibbling at the amazon sword

Any un-conditioned water will instantly kill a fish, especially since your tank isn't cycled. I would wait for the Prime
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I think he's been nibbling at the amazon sword

I feel like little pieces are missing more and more
 

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Probably just investigating it Bettas are 100 percent carnivore!

Leaves sometimes disintegrate when in a new tank- this is more likely than a betta eating it. Any snails or other tank inhabitants?
 

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Test strips will work- I am not sure they are as accurate as the master kits but they will give you an idea. But you really want the prime ( or at least some other water conditioner) if you think you will do a water change. Make sure you have strips for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and if you can get it, chlorine. Test before you do the water change and depending on your values, you may want to test after as well. I keep a notebook to write them down along with the date and anything else I do with the tank ( water change, gravel vacuuming, etc). You can let us know the results if you want sobwe can give more specific advice.
 
Yes bettas acting tired todaym didn't really want his flakes and has just been hangin by the heater. I did put a baffle on the HOB this morning to slow the flow

Bettas moving about now checking out the new flow of the tank. Seems to be liking it not hanging out on one side as much. Goin to get the API kit and prime on lunch break then start the cycle process. I would hate to see something happen to him because I waited too long
 
If you get test strips DO NOT get API test strips. They're trash and the reason so many people think test strips suck. Get the tetra 6 in 1 test strips instead. I use these when I want a quick reading. BUT they don't do ammonia for whatever reason so you have to buy the tetra ammonia test strips separately.
 

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If you get test strips DO NOT get API test strips. They're trash and the reason so many people think test strips suck. Get the tetra 6 in 1 test strips instead. I use these when I want a quick reading. BUT they don't do ammonia for whatever reason so you have to buy the tetra ammonia test strips separately.
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Yea I was researching that the tetras are more accurate. Is the primary an all over conditioner

Test strips will work- I am not sure they are as accurate as the master kits but they will give you an idea. But you really want the prime ( or at least some other water conditioner) if you think you will do a water change. Make sure you have strips for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and if you can get it, chlorine. Test before you do the water change and depending on your values, you may want to test after as well. I keep a notebook to write them down along with the date and anything else I do with the tank ( water change, gravel vacuuming, etc). You can let us know the results if you want sobwe can give more specific advice.
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I picked up the prime and the API test kit with 800 test. Now test then change then test again?
 
If ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are all zero, no need to do an immediate water change. When did you do the last water change, and what percentage did you take out?
 
If ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are all zero, no need to do an immediate water change. When did you do the last water change, and what percentage did you take out?
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I haven't done a water change I just put the water I bought from the LFS and a couple bacteria balls
 

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Right- just keep checking the water , don’t overfeed and read the resource on emergency fish in cycle the right way. . Poop turns to ammonia eventually, it just has not accumulated appreciably yet...
 
I haven't done a water change I just put the water I bought from the LFS and a couple bacteria balls
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I filled the test tubes with water from the tip of the tank if that matters anything.

Right- just keep checking the water , don’t overfeed and read the resource on emergency fish in cycle the right way. . Poop turns to ammonia eventually, it just has not accumulated appreciably yet...
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Alright I'll just keep testing every couple days and maybe change his food up he doesn't like the flakes but loves the frozen brine shrimp
 
I do that as well sometimes
Entropy and brownian motion do their magic and distribute stuff in the water- si I dont think that makes too much of a difference.
 
My betta LOVES his floating log. He makes his bubble nests in/around it. Instead of flakes I would recommend pellets as they make less of a mess and there is less chance food will be wasted and sink to the bottom of the tank. Brine shrimp can also be messy so I feed it to mine usually before a water change and I use an oral syringe. Frozen blood worms are good too, I would just recommend again using an oral syringe to feed it to him so it makes less of a mess.

For the types of plants you have you'll need a light around 20w, and a hood if you don't already have one. If the tank isn't cycled keep an eye on the water parameters and use a beneficial bacteria supplement. ESPECIALLY since you're feeding frozen foods you might see ammonia spikes from any leftovers decomposing so be diligent with your water changes and use a gravel vacuum.

I'm speaking from experience, bettas are real pigs.

I'm not saying it's a scientific fact, but it's a good thing to follow, as many people overfeed their fish which then results in a pretty uncomfortable death.

Anyway, this thread isn't about feeding fish, it's about Jaykay1stBetta and their fish.
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They absolutely are. Mine constantly begs for food every time I enter the room by swimming under the feeding window. He eats 2 small meals per day. I swear he would keep eating if I didn't cut him off.
 
My betta LOVES his floating log. He makes his bubble nests in/around it. Instead of flakes I would recommend pellets as they make less of a mess and there is less chance food will be wasted and sink to the bottom of the tank. Brine shrimp can also be messy so I feed it to mine usually before a water change and I use an oral syringe. Frozen blood worms are good too, I would just recommend again using an oral syringe to feed it to him so it makes less of a mess.

For the types of plants you have you'll need a light around 20w, and a hood if you don't already have one. If the tank isn't cycled keep an eye on the water parameters and use a beneficial bacteria supplement. ESPECIALLY since you're feeding frozen foods you might see ammonia spikes from any leftovers decomposing so be diligent with your water changes and use a gravel vacuum.
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I think I'll make wensday his fasting day since he didn't eat today. I still need to get hood,light and gravel vac but he's been pretty good of eating all his food he even sucks up the brine shrimp thatvhit the rocks. I've heard about these floating logs. I just have an artificial with java moss strapped around it and an amzona sword so far

He eating like a piggy again

Any suggestions on the mini floating log the the regular size. I only have a ten Gallon.
 

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I have used the standard size and mini in my ten gallon ( not much difference in size to be honest) -both worked after I checked for and sanded the sharp edges. I also superglued a suction cup to the knob so my accident prone betta wouldn't get hurt. If you want a smaller tube you can do the same thing with a larger diameter piece of cholla wood- just make sure the betta can’t get stuck. Cholla wood does deteriorate in tank water over time, so you will need to replace it periodically

I have the standard size fliating login my ten gallon -it worked after I checked for and sanded the sharp edges. I also superglued a suction cup to the knob so my accident prone bettad woukd not get hurt. If you want a smsller tube you can do the same thing with a larger diameter piece of cholla wood- just make sure the betta can’t get stuck. Cholla wood does deteriorate in tank water over time, so you will need to replace it periodically.
 
I have the standard size fliating login my ten gallon -it worked after I checked for and sanded the sharp edges. I also superglued a suction cup to the knob so my accident prone bettad woukd not get hurt. If you want a smsller tube you can do the same thing with a larger diameter piece of cholla wood- just make sure the betta can’t get stuck. Cholla wood does deteriorate in tank water over time, so you will need to replace it periodically.
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Any suggestions on the best kind of beta pellets. I think he likes the flakes now but i just wanna give him the best
 
dont use flakes. they add no nutritional value at all and cause too much excess waste in the tank. I recommend buying Omega One freeze-dried bloodworms , San Francisco Bay Brand Frozen brine shrimp, any live shrimp or bugs, and Omega One Betta Pellets.

its good to ensure a good variety in a bettas weekly diet. Bettas are carnivores and flakes wont provide anything for to help him. do not all of these to him everyday, switch it up every other day, only use bloodworms and frozen foods once or twice a week as treats. other than that either pellets or live food should be his daily diet.
 
I have an active young betta right now. I feed hikari bettd biogold, hikari vibrabites, fluval bugbites betta pellets ( the realky tiny ones) or northfin betta pellets ( rotating) in the am and feed frozen brine shrimp or daphnia in the pm ( with occasional mysis shrimp, which she rarely eats, or bloodworms, which she gobbles up. Amount depends on the fish- mine gets about 5 pellets ( more if its bugbites because those are so tiny) in the am and 3 to 5 brine shrimp or equivalent in the pm. This is a lot of food for a betta but she is exceptionally active. You may want to start with smaller meals than this and work up. She also gets a fast day once a week. Bettas are like puppies- and they love their food, so it gives both of us a lot of pleasure to feed a varied diet. I keep the pellets tightly sealed and refrigerated. Ifor the frozen foods I use a sharp knife to split the cubes while frozen, quickly wrap them in foil before they thaw and then take one of the tiny chunks from the freezer when I need them ( less waste!). I soak all pellets in tank water for about 5 minutes before pipette feeding, and thaw frozen food in tank water too ( which I also pipette feed). When you feed, if you observe the betta from the side you will see its stomach swell as it eats- don't let it swell too much! They are piggies! If you google pictures of bloated bettas you will see what I mean by stomach swelling.
 

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I have an active young betta right now. I feed hikari bettd biogold, hikari vibrabites, fluval bugbites betta pellets ( the realky tiny ones) or northfin betta pellets ( rotating) in the am and feed frozen brine shrimp or daphnia in the pm ( with occasional mysis shrimp, which she rarely eats, or bloodworms, which she gobbles up. Amount depends on the fish- mine gets about 5 pellets ( more if its bugbites because those are so tiny) in the am and 3 to 5 brine shrimp or equivalent in the pm. This is a lot of food for a betta but she is exceptionally active. You may want to start with smaller meals than this and work up. She also gets a fast day once a week. Bettas are like puppies- and they love their food, so it gives both of us a lot of pleasure to feed a varied diet. I keep the pellets tightly sealed and refrigerated. Ifor the frozen foods I use a sharp knife to split the cubes while frozen, quickly wrap them in foil before they thaw and then take one of the tiny chunks from the freezer when I need them ( less waste!). I soak all pellets in tank water for about 5 minutes before pipette feeding, and thaw frozen food in tank water too ( which I also pipette feed). When you feed, if you observe the betta from the side you will see its stomach swell as it eats- don't let it swell too much! They are piggies! If you google pictures of bloated bettas you will see what I mean by stomach swelling.
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I see the halari beta gold baby bites but I don't thinks he's a baby, blueberry betta mentioned a omega betta pellets
 
I think baby is just the size- but onega is a good brand too
 
I have an active young betta right now. I feed hikari bettd biogold, hikari vibrabites, fluval bugbites betta pellets ( the realky tiny ones) or northfin betta pellets ( rotating) in the am and feed frozen brine shrimp or daphnia in the pm ( with occasional mysis shrimp, which she rarely eats, or bloodworms, which she gobbles up. Amount depends on the fish- mine gets about 5 pellets ( more if its bugbites because those are so tiny) in the am and 3 to 5 brine shrimp or equivalent in the pm. This is a lot of food for a betta but she is exceptionally active. You may want to start with smaller meals than this and work up. She also gets a fast day once a week. Bettas are like puppies- and they love their food, so it gives both of us a lot of pleasure to feed a varied diet. I keep the pellets tightly sealed and refrigerated. Ifor the frozen foods I use a sharp knife to split the cubes while frozen, quickly wrap them in foil before they thaw and then take one of the tiny chunks from the freezer when I need them ( less waste!). I soak all pellets in tank water for about 5 minutes before pipette feeding, and thaw frozen food in tank water too ( which I also pipette feed). When you feed, if you observe the betta from the side you will see its stomach swell as it eats- don't let it swell too much! They are piggies! If you google pictures of bloated bettas you will see what I mean by stomach swelling.
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How do you prepare your frozen brine shrimp. I've just been cutting chunks off and throiwn them in
 
Yes- you can do that too - but once thawed you can’t refreeze. When I pull a cube out of the blister pack I chop it quickly into single servings before it melts ( easier for me than carving each time- I have arthritic hands), wrap in foil and store in tne freezer all but the one piece I feed that day. I thaw each serving in tank water and find that mine eats whole ones and large pieces, so I don’t bother to mince the pieces.
 
Yes- you can do that too - but once thawed you can’t refreeze. When I pull a cube out of the blister pack I chop it quickly into single servings before it melts ( easier for me than carving each time- I have arthritic hands), wrap in foil and store in tne freezer all but the one piece I feed that day. I thaw each serving in tank water and find that mine eats whole ones and large pieces, so I don’t bother to mince the pieces.
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Same here i just kinda cut slices off put them in a Ziploc for the week then save the rest in the freezer . It thaws so quick and he eats it before it barely touches the water. He loves his shrimp but the flakes I think he just eats cuz he's hungry but he'll eat it then spot some out
I cut slivers off and store them in the bag. but by the time I've cut it and handled it in me hands before I feed it's already melting
I have the San Fran frozen brine . It's thaws so quick ones intouch it and picnh off a piece it's melted almost before I drop it . But big read gobbles it up and will clean it off his gravel
 

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I have the San Fran frozen brine . It's thaws so quick ones intouch it and picnh off a piece it's melted almost before I drop it . But big read gobbles it up and will clean it off his gravel
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Thats the same brand I feed my betta . Dont presoak them as theres no need. It even says on the back not to presoak or thaw them. All you have to do is take a small pinch and toss it in. If you pre soak any frozen food, all the nutrients gets released before they can eat it
 
Thats the same brand I feed my betta . Dont presoak them as theres no need. It even says on the back not to presoak or thaw them. All you have to do is take a small pinch and toss it in. If you pre soak any frozen food, all the nutrients gets released before they can eat it
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Yes I just cut off a couple pebble size and toss them in and he devoirs them. What's a good inexpensive little light for my plants and betta boy

Yes he follows my finger cuz he knows it's good time and he loves some slivers of brine shrimp he's devoirs it and then wants more
 
I just learned something new! I’ll no longer thaw frozen foods ( even though I get the gut loaded kind whenever possible). It makes sense - I’ve read some nutirents are lost to the water when you boil vegetables, so perhaps the same principle applies here. I will still thaw enough to suck them into the pipette, though, just not in tank water. Learn something new everyday on this forum!
 

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I just learned something new! I’ll no longer thaw frozen foods ( even though I get the gut loaded kind whenever possible). It makes sense - I’ve read some nutirents are lost to the water when you boil vegetables, so perhaps the same principle applies here. I will still thaw enough to suck them into the pipette, though, just not in tank water. Learn something new everyday on this forum!
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I don't have a pipette i just use my fingers and drop it in. I'm still looking for a cool little light for him
 
You will find what works for you- I like pipette feeding but that may not be your preference- go with what works for you
 
You will find what works for you- I like pipette feeding but that may not be your preference- go with what works for you
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Thinking of doin a water change/add today it's about an inch from the top .Gonna test it first then fill up what I need and condition and then test again before adding?
 
Sounds like a plan- let us know your results-more ammonia/nitrites/ nitrates means bigger and more frequent water changes. I add conditioner to the new water and swirlnit a bit before putting into the tank (just to be safe).
 
Sounds like a plan- let us know your results-more ammonia/nitrites/ nitrates means bigger and more frequent water changes. I add conditioner to the new water and swirlnit a bit before putting into the tank (just to be safe).
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Oh at 6.6-7.0
Ammonia- 0 ppm
Nitirte- 0 ppm
Na- 0 ppm

Oh at 6.6-7.0
Ammonia- 0 ppm
Nitirte- 0 ppm
Na- 0 ppm
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Should I test the tap before I put it in. And what parameters am I looking for

I think that it needs about a gallon. I think he's full tooninsee a little belly bump finally
 

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Your parameters are ok so far- so no need for a big water change right now maybe clean the substrate a little with a 10-15 percent water change
 
Your parameters are ok so far- so no need for a big water change right now maybe clean the substrate a little with a 10-15 percent water change
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Should I just add to the water or take some out then test the tap water then add. I also still have some pure water from the LFS thats I bought a couple weeks ago. Should I dump that out
 
Before I start my tanks and every time I move I check the local water to make sure it has no ammonia or nitrates and to make sure the pH isnt crazy- if your tap water tests ok, I would condition it and use it for water changes. I would not use the water from the fish store tanks as they might have diseases, but that’s just me. I do weekly water changes even when my parameters are perfect- I want to make it a habit and its good for the tank to clean it regularly. Like I said, I would use your siphon to pick up some detritus from the tank bottom, but use no more than 10-15 percent of the water to do this. Then condition your replacement water and try to match the temperature, then add it slowly in.
 
Before I start my tanks and every time I move I check the local water to make sure it has no ammonia or nitrates and to make sure the pH isnt crazy- if your tap water tests ok, I would condition it and use it for water changes. I would not use the water from the fish store tanks as they might have diseases, but that’s just me. I do weekly water changes even when my parameters are perfect- I want to make it a habit and its good for the tank to clean it regularly. Like I said, I would use your siphon to pick up some detritus from the tank bottom, but use no more than 10-15 percent of the water to do this. Then condition your replacement water and try to match the temperature, then add it slowly in.
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Yea the tap in Arizona is pretty hard. The water I buy from the store is stripped of everything. I don't have a siphonnto test the bottom of the tank. Just been tanking samples from the top
 

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You will need a siphon to clean the tank and dowater changes


I eould get one asap ( ask lfs to show you how to use) and top off for now

I have hard water as well, no issues for typical pet store bettas- what you want to do is avoid wild swings in pH- thats why I suggest tap water- whwn you start mixing distilled water and chemicsls to adjust pH the swings are often worse than a higher pH... hardness is different from pH but harder water usually has a higher pH
 
What's a KH and GH test

I have hard water as well, no issues for typical pet store bettas- what you want to do is avoid wild swings in pH- thats why I suggest tap water- whwn you start mixing distilled water and chemicsls to adjust pH the swings are often worse than a higher pH... hardness is different from pH but harder water usually has a higher pH
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Will the mini be good enough for a 10 gallon. Did you see the pic of my tank. What do you think of the water level
 
JayKay has gotten the same advice over and over from many different wise fishlore folks: learn about the nitrogen cycle, do water changes, use water conditioner etc etc. I’m thinking it’s up to him now to follow or not follow the advice of about 15 experienced betta owners.
 
JayKay has gotten the same advice over and over from many different wise fishlore folks: learn about the nitrogen cycle, do water changes, use water conditioner etc etc. I’m thinking it’s up to him now to follow or not follow the advice of about 15 experienced betta owners.
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I do water test and I've been told my parameters are good enough to not dona water change. I'm just over cautious cuz I don't wanna kill my daughter's betta. Sorry for asking for knowledge

I do water test and I've been told my parameters are good enough to not dona water change. I'm just over cautious cuz I don't wanna kill my daughter's betta. Sorry for asking for knowledge
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And every owner had a different method so unlike to research then just going on the first tip. Sputnik and blueberrybetta have been awesome answering my annoying questions
 
You can top off with conditioned water for now. But it would be good to do some reading. I researched for about 6 months before starting my first tank as an adult. Not saying you need to do that much- I just enjoyed learning and planning. But you do need to do some research since we can’t be there in person and its hard to walk you through every situation remotely. With fish you need to create their whole world in a little box, and it should function as much like an ecosystem as possible- much different than caring for cats and dogs! I am happy to answer questions, but please do a little research as well- there are youtube videos that go through using a siphon, the nitrogen cycle, water changes, feeding etc. I think seeing these things will help you more than us trying to explain them verbally
 
You can top off with conditioned water for now. But it would be good to do some reading. I researched for about 6 months before starting my first tank as an adult. Not saying you need to do that much- I just enjoyed learning and planning. But you do need to do some research since we can’t be there in person and its hard to walk you through every situation remotely. With fish you need to create their whole world in a little box, and it should function as much like an ecosystem as possible- much different than caring for cats and dogs! I am happy to answer questions, but please do a little research as well- there are youtube videos that go through using a siphon, the nitrogen cycle, water changes, feeding etc. I think seeing these things will help you more than us trying to explain them verbally
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I appreciate all you do. I donwatch YouTube and I got the understanding just still scared about the water changes. I tested my tap water and somehow the ph- 7.6 And eveything else nitrite nitrate and ammonia is 0. Is this possible
 
Yes, if you have a low bioload- just one fish in a ten gallon right? It will take longer to cycle but it will be easier on your fish. Live plants help absorb the waste too
 

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